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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136582">tiger</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kim_wonpil/pseuds/kim_wonpil'>kim_wonpil</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, Old Friends to Lovers, Parents Arguing, beach, donghyuck likes video games, renjun just wants his lover back</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 20:28:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,929</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27136582</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kim_wonpil/pseuds/kim_wonpil</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Renjun swore he would return one day, when he was stronger.</p><p>(Or Renjun hates when his parents shout, and wishes he could see his beautiful best friend again.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>tiger</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>hi! this is just a short fic i thought of three days ago and just finished, thought it would be cute lol </p><p>hope u enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Renjun swore he would return one day, when he was stronger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>City life was as good as it got. He lived in a small apartment above a takeout shop, which his parents owned and ran. Business usually ran well, and locals loved them. But just because his parents’ loving business ran well, that didn’t apply to their relationship.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun spent most nights working, offering to work later shifts. And of course, there was a reason for it. Renjun hated shouting. When a teacher raised their voice at him, when a friend even so much as yelled his name, he could not stand it. Even more so when his parents shouted at each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The restaurant he worked at closed early on Sundays, and so Renjun had no choice but to head home at seven o’clock. He decided to walk home instead of taking the bus; hopefully it would grab him some time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nineteen year old started his walk, knowing he’d end up in immense pain by the end of it. He hadn’t even walked halfway, and already the pads of his toes and heels began to scream in pain. At least he could look at the nice scenery with a breath of fresh air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing he noticed was that his mother’s car was not in the driveway, and his father’s car, lonesome in its parking spot. He suspired, his breath visible in the cold air around him. Then, he spotted a familiar face in the shop; Chenle, the teenager his parents employed. Renjun opened the door, smiling as he stepped inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, your shift over?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chenle looked up. “Hi, yeah, sorry. Just locking up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No need, I’ll do it,” Renjun replied, “get home safely.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The teenager grinned. “Cool, thanks.” He ripped his apron from his neck and hung it up safely, before grabbing his school rucksack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went to leave, but turned his head to Renjun once more. “Your dad’s upstairs, by the way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun hummed. “Thanks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, Chenle left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Renjun fished his keys out of his pocket, twisting the door handle to the apartment  as he stabbed the key in the lock, pushing the door open with a breath holding in his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father was nowhere to be seen as of then. Nothing appeared broken nor strewn as of then. The boy placed his keys down on the end table and fixed his chestnut hair in the mirror, not bothering with haste. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked inside his parents’ bedroom, only to see his dad asleep in his work clothes. Renjun sighed, walking closer and shaking his shoulder. “Dad, hey, get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father’s eyes opened rather quickly, shocked to see Renjun almost. “Oh, you’re home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Get in the shower and put some comfortable clothes on, okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father nodded, before laying his head back down. Renjun left.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>As the sound of water rushing from the shower head echoed from the bathroom, Renjun decided to sit on the couch. A photo book was placed neatly on the coffee table, opened at about halfway through. He raised it in his hands, examining it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was Renjun as a child, maybe about five or six, in his mother’s arms on the beach. He remembered this picture, specifically the image of his father taking it with his new camera. Next to his crouching mother stood another child, the same age as Renjun, his darker skin and heart-shaped beam all too familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His Duckie, as he called him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck had never been fond of the nickname, having been named after a duck. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ducks are lame, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he’d said, his tongue sticking out of his lips, </span>
  <em>
    <span>call me something cool like tiger!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun smiled with reminisce. The idea of a little baby Donghyuck growling like a tiger. They loved playing pretend games like that. Little Donghyuck was wild, and so was a bigger Donghyuck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He remembered the last time he saw Donghyuck Lee, actually. In their first year of college, Renjun and Donghyuck had been to a restaurant, eating hot pot and laughing at each other’s dumb jokes. Donghyuck had been stressed with exams, so the elder had taken him out for a treat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun planned to confess that night. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They headed to the beach, cones of sweet, sticky ice cream in hand. The two boys wandered down to the shore, kicking chunks of wet sand and the foamy waves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got something to tell you, Junnie,” Donghyuck said, biting the last of his cone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun turned his head and smiled. “Go on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got a girl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face fell. “Girlfriend?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Donghyuck smirked and shoved his hands in his pockets, after licking his fingers, “she’s so beautiful and nice, you’d like her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, would I…” he nodded, looking over at the sea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll introduce you to her soon, yeah?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun tried to avoid him after that. It was difficult, with Donghyuck’s constant messages about meeting up, but he couldn’t face him after that conversation. Not again. He couldn’t even go to the beach because it reminded him too much of his first and last love.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He rubbed his finger over the image of the five year old Donghyuck with a soft smile. Closing the photobook shut, he gently placed it back on the shelf and headed in for bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Renjun woke up at two in the morning, to the sound of shouting. It was apparent his mother had come home and started to shout, his defenceless father giving in. The boy sighed, slamming his face into his pillow. He stood up slowly, careful not to make noise. Slipping a hoodie over his head, he pushed his feet into his shoes and placed his phone and earphones in his pocket. He left his room and closed the door silently, his parents still arguing in the kitchen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another sigh left his lips. He left the apartment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Walking a familiar road, he arrived at the even more familiar house. Flashbacks of Renjun as a boy playing outside on the swing set came back to him, another little boy pushing him. With a deep breath, he walked up to the porch and gave the doorbell a ring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was some shuffling behind the door, and a quiet groan. The door opened, and revealed a disheveled Donghyuck, rubbing at his eye with his wrist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Tiger,” Renjun said quietly, scared to raise his voice any higher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck looked up, his eyes wider and his pink lips parted. “Junnie?” He smiled lightly, and wrapped his arms around the boy in an instant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re cuddlier than I remember,” Renjun chuckled, squeezing his love’s waist.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck hummed. “I missed you, dude. Where have you been?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nowhere, just caught up with work and school.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Partly a lie.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” Donghyuck sighed, pulling away, “why are you here so late? Or early, I should say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun shrugged. “Parents stuff. I had to get away from it all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck nodded in understanding. “Come sleep over then. You tired?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lemme make you something to eat, okay? I was just playing video games so if you want we can do that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so, Donghyuck was in the kitchen making tteokkbokki, whilst Renjun played Call of Duty in the living room. He’d missed Donghyuck’s couch, Donghyuck’s games, the sound of Donghyuck cooking, and his voice as he sang songs. He well and truly felt home again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck served the small meal up, Renjun having paused the game for a bit. They ate on the couch as Renjun delved into the taste of Donghyuck’s masterful cooking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve missed this, you know,” Renjun smiled against the blanket that was pulled up to his chin. Donghyuck was currently finding the game off for him, letting Renjun set his legs up on his thighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too,” Donghyuck grinned, looking back at him for a second.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Renjun’s heart pounded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How’s your girlfriend?” he asked, before his heart beat out of his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Donghyuck snorted, “we’re not together anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How come?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Too busy. She didn’t wanna make time for me, which is fair enough actually. She had a degree she was working towards and I dropped out of college…it was probably better for her.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m sorry…” Renjun mumbled, sitting up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be.” Donghyuck finished the game and saved it. “Get some sleep, Jun. I’ll just clear up the plates.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stood up and ruffled Renjun’s hair, leaving the living room for the kitchen with the plates in his hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun watched him from the couch with a smile, as the younger hummed a tune, scrubbing the plates in the sink. He drifted off slowly, but surely, and even more infatuated.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was five in the morning when Renjun woke up, and Donghyuck was next to him, watching TV at a low volume. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, sleepyhead,” Donghyuck giggled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked so handsome in the morning, his hair messy and his shorts hanging off his hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanna go to the beach,” Renjun said suddenly. He’d dreamt about the beach all of last night, playing with Donghyuck in the sand and kissing him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All of a sudden?” Donghyuck smirked, turning the TV off.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>And so Renjun found himself in Donghyuck’s muscle shirt and swimming trunks, in the passenger seat of his car. Donghyuck was blaring out music as he drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, along to the beat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their body temperatures rose in the stuffy car, and Renjun was more than happy to get out once he noticed his (Donghyuck’s) shirt sticking to him. He took in a breath of fresh air, gazing over the pretty sun that hung as a crystal ball in the sky, the hot beams beating down on skin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ready?” Donghyuck smiled, a towel flung over his shoulder, and a stupid summer hat on his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course he was ready.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>After a good swim in the salty sea, Donghyuck rolled out the towel like a piece of dough, sitting on it like a rolling pin. Renjun collapsed beside him, remnants of laughter exaggerating from his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t know how to swim,” Donghyuck chuckled, bringing his knees to his chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun smirked and looked at the sea, which was vast and empty now. He then looked at Donghyuck, wondering why he’d seen the same picture from the photobook. Why was Donghyuck looking exactly like the sea right now? So sparkling and so beautiful, and while Renjun knew he shouldn’t, he wanted to drink Donghyuck in like the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I tell you something, Hyuck?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger nodded, a small smile on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun reached for Donghyuck’s big hand, squeezing it like a toy. “I have a feeling that we should kiss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck paused before a little laugh left his throat. “Is that a good or bad feeling, Renjun?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know yet,” he muttered back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The younger looked at the crystal ball in the sky and smirked, closing his eyes. “Where’d this come from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve liked you for a long time,” Renjun blurted out, “and today felt like the right day to tell you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck opened one eye to glance at him, before fisting his shirt in his hand and pulling the elder close, kissing his lips in a hurried manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun melted like an ice cream cone, the corners of his lips upturning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you, Tiger,” the elder whispered against his love’s lips, and for once, there was shouting he was okay with, in his heart, screaming at him to kiss Donghyuck again as he repeated the phrase back to him, was just as much meaning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun was glad he returned that day.</span>
</p>
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